To lose 25 kilos is a huge challenge, but still, I did it. For as long as I was a little girl, I used to be quite obese. My parents did not take care of my physical appearance. I was to be ruddy, healthy and well nourished. This is what counted for them most.
Being a 14-year-old girl with the height of 173cm, I weighed 86 kilos. Up to that moment I knew I was a little plump. I ate a lot and I could never say “no more” to myself. My father was not a good example at home either since even now he eats huge meals several times a day. My second bad home, as well, was the home of my aunt, who was at the same time my godmother, home. She could cook delicious dishes very well. However, her speciality was baking. I simply loved her soups thickened with substantial amount of flour as well as her layer cakes with a huge layer of cream. I also devoured enormous amounts of ice cream, just as much as I could. And what I was left with, then? Only my worries.
I became a growing girl who instead of gaining boy’s interests evoked only their laugh and sneering cutting remarks. Well… I was always different. I attended another school than my friends from the neighborhood. I read a lot, played several music instruments, swam well and ice skated. I was physically strong, intelligent and I had wonderful long black hair.
Then, it came the time of high school. I was a good student. I broadened my knowledge and got good grades. I was tolerated somehow. I was a good friend, you know, the one you can always count on. The girls made friends with me eagerly, but the boys … No comment on that. I felt awfully. I used to cry during some lonely evenings and just think of my life. Finally, I decided to change something. An additional incentive to change was the beginning of thoracic spinal column dysfunction. The pains in my backbone forced me to pay a visit to an orthopaedist. Soon it became the beginning of a new me. One sentence, but how harmful at the same time, said by the doctor was enough: “Either you lose at least 15 kilos or you will end up in a wheelchair”. That evening and night I thought a lot about it. I couldn’t sleep. “How come, I am only 15 and I am to be a cripple till the rest of my life. NEVER” I thought, So it began running, doing physical exercises, changing my diet. I put aside sweet, fat, floury and heavy food. I counted the calories eaten during the day. Only 1000 kcal and not a single calorie more was allowed. My friends were supporting me in my fight. During every birthday party I attended when everybody else was eating layer cakes and ice creams, I had a huge plate full of fruits especially prepared for me. It was not easy to change my eating habits. When I was 18, I managed to lose about 22 kilos (by the sweat of my brow). It was not a short-period loss of weight, but it lasted. After I started my studies I weighed just 64 kilos. According to other,s opinions I looked nice. Boys started being interested in me and, actually, everything seemed to be ok. But, I personally was not satisfied with the shape of my body. Every time I looked into the mirror I could only see hefty calves (the result of intensive basketball trainings and jogging), not too slim thighs and knees. However, my biggest problem was my little belly or rather a little droopy belly. For sure, I didn’t have the measurements of a top model that would guarantee me winning a beauty contest. So, then I changed the set of my exercises, paying more attention to those parts of my body. My day schedule looked as follows: the gym, fruits, vegetables and water. At the age of 25 and the height of 174 cm I weighed 56 kilos. My legs were long and shapely with clearly visible three meaningful gaps between them, the belly flat or even hollow, so to say. Everything was perfect. But… so what?. After several months my enthusiasm subsided as a result of some hormonal changes. I don’t deny. I got scared a lot. I didn’t want to suffer from anorexia not to mention dying of hunger. So, on the same day I went with my friend for a huge ice cream dessert with a huge amount of whipped cream.
Too huge a loss of body fat results in the lowering of female hormones production and, by the same token, menstruation disorders. I wanted to be slim but not for the price of losing my femininity. I regained my overly lost kilograms and got my weigh stabilized at the weight of 60 kilos. Fortunately, everything went back to normality and I didn’t need to go to a gynecologist, endocrinologist or psychiatrist. I was made to get used to my well built knees, thighs and belly.
After several years, being 28 years old I read several articles on a liposuction. Media were writing about the surgery called liposuction, and TV showed often interviews with the patients who underwent it. So did I see a ray of hope for me. “Maybe it is the solution” I wondered. Not telling anyone, I had an appointment with a plastic surgeon to consult with. I was surprised that he didn’t make fun of me. He agreed with me that there were some parts of human body where the body fat is simply impossible to be reduced (due to dieting or exercises). The only effective way is its surgical removal by means of suction.
I made up my mind. After the surgery I had to wear a special elastic dress for several weeks the aim of which was to model the skin, so that it would fit my new shape. When it comes down to young people, the skin is firm and elastic so it gets modeled easily. During the very first days I could feel in the operated regions some stinging pains, itching and small pain. The nights were the worst. It was extremely difficult to lay down in such a way not to press the operated regions. Those additional trousers were not comfortable, too. But if you want to be beautiful, you must suffer first. For the whole week, every time I looked into the mirror, I just saw some bruises which were changing their colors into navy blue, green, yellow just like the rainbow. However, the sufferings ended quickly. After several days I could return to my daily routine. After 10 days, despite a slight swollen of the operated regions, I could see the change. I was extremely happy. I think that then I succeeded the second time. The final effect could be seen, as the doctor said, only after 6 weeks. The body was soft, didn’t hurt and it had that new and beautiful shape. There were just several tiny scars not so much visible after the skin was incised that reminded me of the undergone surgery. “If only all those who not so long time ago were laughing at me could see me” I thought.
Right now I don’t torture my body. I weigh as much as I want about 62 kilos and I eat everything I want with just one restriction, i.e. in reasonable amounts. I am satisfied with my physical appearance. And the boys (now men) who once used to tease me, now strive for my look.
Thanks to all those changes that took place, huge internal changes happened too. I became more cheerful and I got rid of all my complexes. Now, I don’t need to look with my head put down while walking down the street, but I can hold my head up high and scream: I DID IT!!
July
Modeling and not slimming
Georgio Fischer was the first in the world to perform a surgery called a liposuction. It required a great courage and imagination to mark the beginning of such an innovative branch of plastic surgery that nowadays is known under the name of “figure modeling” as, in fact, the liposuction is not aimed at slimming a patient, but rather fitting his/her figure to his/her expectations. The adipose tissue is accumulated in various regions of the body depending on the sex and age. Unfortunately, it happens very often that despite the most genuine will and dieting efforts, it accumulates in larger quantities in the region of hips, thighs and knees in case of women, or the abdomen and waist as in case of men. Very frequently even the most draconian diet and physical exercises are not able to reduce the body fat from those regions. The only possible solution left in such cases is the liposuction. The above mentioned procedure consists in removing a certain layer of the adipose tissue by means of a probe connected to an aspirator. The probe plays in this case a role of a sculptor’s chisel that millimeter by millimeter removes unwanted layers of fat. Moreover, performing the surgery in the superficial layer effects stimulatingly the collagen synthesis which, consequently, results in firm skin and its adjustment to the reduced body contour. Not only does the contemporarily performed liposuction leave minimal, almost invisible, cicatrices, but it is also extremely safe. Thanks to the so called “wet technique” introduced by doctor Jeffrey Klein, the danger of creating emboli syndrome after the surgery is considerably reduced. This technique also reduces reasonably cyanosis as well as the pain of the operated places.
A surgeon who undertakes to perform the surgery of liposuction must possess a precise artistic sense as well as a huge experience in dealing with thin probes.
During the postoperative period, a patient must wear a special pressure dress for the period of 2 up to 4 weeks. It reduces oedema and facilitates proper adaptation of the skin to the reduced body measurements.
Today performed lipoplastic surgeries give a great satisfaction not only to the patients but also to the doctor.
Jerzy Kolasiński, M.D. Ph.D.
Abdominal plastic surgery – a solution for a droopy belly
In the case when the abdomen is large and droopy as a result of dieting, when a dropping fatty-dermal fold is created, even the best performed liposuction is of no use. The only alternative left is then abdominal plastic surgery. The surgery consists in cutting out the excess of skin and adipose tissue. The mentioned procedure is usually performed together with the plastic surgery of the abdominal muscles and the suction of body fat from the regions of epigastrium and waist. In most cases a new and even more beautiful navel is created. The patients stay in the clinic 3 or 4 days, however, from the very first day they are able to go for a walk or do some breathing exercises.
Abdominoplasty is a massive surgery which lasts from 3 to 4 hours. After the surgery, the belly regains a nice shape, and a long and crosswise cicatrix remaining in the region of the hypogastrium can be easily covered by the underwear. Thanks to this surgery, a lot of female patients can show up again on the beach in a bikini. The poll carried out in our clinic indicates that the patients who have undergone the surgery are extremely satisfied with the results that have been obtained. An average satisfaction degree amounts to 9,25 points out of 10 points.
We have also worked out our own method of abdominoplasty in the clinic that considerably reduces the number of complications and improves the aesthetics of the surgery.
Jerzy Kolasiński, M.D. Ph.D.